This invention concerns a behind-the-ear hearing aid according to the preamble to Claim 1.
With these types of hearing aids, it is common to design the body with a tubular curved housing part which is divided basically along generating lines into two shells. It is assembled by opening the shells, inserting the function units for the hearing aid and closing the shells, by gluing or screwing. This required well-trained personnel and precise labor, both for inserting the function units mentioned and their electrical contacts, often by soldering and finally, for closing the shells. In addition, along the connection shells, there are connecting points which are critical in terms of sealing.
The purpose of this invention is to eliminate these disadvantages. For this purpose, the hearing aid mentioned at the beginning is characterized by the features in Claim 1.
According to it, the hearing aid includes a one-piece, at least partially tubular closed part of the housing. This eliminates the above-mentioned connecting points, and what happens now is that assembly can and must take place by axial insertion of function units into the tubular part, and a completely solderless electrical contact is preferably made. This assembly method, whose basis is the one-piece, tubular closed housing part provided in the invention, is extremely well suited for automation, unlike the assembly method previously known.
In one preferred embodiment of the hearing aid, the housing part is completed in one section by means of a cover to a tube basically closed over its entire length. Preferably, the space inside is designed for stacked, guided insertion of components to be placed in the hearing aid.
An acoustic output support that is preferably removable is arranged on one side of the housing part mentioned; the other end is closed by a nondestructive, preferably removable cover to a compartment with at least two electrical contacts. Other organs provided on the part of the hearing aid mentioned, such as the two covers mentioned, operating switches, coupling supports, etc. are preferably arranged so they are sealed on that part of the device.